step in

verb

Definition of step innext
1
as in to visit
to make a brief visit I just stepped in to say hi on my way to class

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only couldn't find anyone to step in for me so that I could take a break from my caregiving duties

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of step in Arvind Raman, the director of National Institute of Standards and Technology, will step in as acting director of the center, according to a Commerce Department spokesperson. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 21 July 2026 Connect With People Outside Your Circle Meeting new and different people represents the first step in breaking out of the rut. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 The two actors had been out of touch for years when fate stepped in and put them on the same flight to New York. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026 West African leaders approved a plan for a $25 billion pipeline to transport natural gas from Nigeria to Morocco, a major step in expanding the region’s gas exports to help meet global demand. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for step in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for step in
  1. visit
  2. substitute
  3. run in
  4. stand in
  5. call
  6. fill in
Verb
  • Our firm’s community association attorneys encourage everyone to visit these sites to learn more about its activities and how to support them.
    — Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • Louisville's role as bourbon's home base keeps growing When visiting bourbon country, Louisville is typically a go-to jumping off point.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of visit
Verb
  • Sunmaxxing itself is free, but a commercial layer has formed around tracking it, coaching it or substituting for it when the sun is not cooperating.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026
  • If entry-level consultants, lawyers, and financial analysts were being systematically substituted out at the pace Amodei described to 60 Minutes in November 2025, McCrory’s occupation-level unemployment data should already show some divergence.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 July 2026
Definition of substitute
Verb
  • Cade Gibson and Tyler Zuber then gave up four runs in the sixth inning and John King another in the eighth before Miami put together that ninth-inning rally to end the losing streak.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 July 2026
  • Herrera initially intended to run in Missouri’s 5th Congressional District to challenge Emanuel Cleaver.
    — Jack Harvel July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
Definition of run in
Verb
  • Community outraged over shooting Over the past few days, a vigil was held to grieve the teenager before he was identified and protesters marched in the city’s downtown to stand in solidarity with Williams’ family and call for accountability.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • North End Zone fan experience The two-story structure takes the place of the old metal stands in the North End and seats approximately 1,600 in both field-level suites and loge boxes.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026
Definition of stand in
Verb
  • Johnny then becomes bonded to a supernatural demon called the Spirit of Vengeance and is able to transform into a flaming, skeletal biker.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 26 July 2026
  • Josh Smead runs an architecture business called Liberty Design Development with his wife and hails from Liberty.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
Definition of call
Verb
  • Ideally, Liverpool need to recruit a versatile defender with a decent level of experience under his belt who could fill in both at right-back and centre-back.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 25 July 2026
  • The departures of McDuffie and Watson left a significant void, one the Chiefs hoped to fill in the NFL Draft.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026
Definition of fill in

Browse Nearby Words

stepfathers
step in
step into
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Step in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/step%20in. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of step in for Spanish Speakers

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